We decided to go into San Francisco to catch a movie. We couldn't get into the Sony Metreon so were considering hopping on a bus to either the Kabuki 8 or Van Ness 14, 2 cinemaplexes a short bus ride away on the 38 Geary. Unfortunately, however, neither of us remembered that there was an anti-war demonstration scheduled for today so all the traffic on Market Street between 4th and about 9th streets was stopped. This included the Geary bus, so we were out of luck. Here are a couple of pictures I took of the proceedings, of which we got the tail-end.

The view from about Market between 3rd and 4th Streets, looking westward. The line of immobilized buses on the right indicates that vehicular traffic on Market St is at a total standstill except for police and emergency vehicles. The streetcar tracks are clearly visible in the foreground.

The line of stalled street cars at the intersection of Market and 4th Streets. All the traffic wishing to go east on Market was diverted south on 4th. Traffic in downtown SF was horrendous that day.

The massive police presence in the distance. At this time in the proceedings, there were probably as many police as there were protesters. The cops were all armed, and several of them held nightsticks at the ready. The highest concentration of cops was just beyond the 5th and Market intersection.

Looking eastward on Market St at the traffic guards redirecting all traffic onto 4th at Market, observed by a lot of people just milling around, some of them no doubt wondering how best to travel among the confusion. You can just make out the ferry tower in the background.

Some of the policemen in riot gear, cordoning off the street. Access to the sidewalks was permitted, but it was a bit touchy where the cops were actively engaging the demonstrators, who all the while were keeping up their anti-war chants and waving their placards in protest. Most of them were not very flattering of the administration.

Another shot of the police presence, while a few pedestrians cross against the moot traffic lights.

Closer picture of the riot-gear-bedecked officers holding the street against the protesters and photo-snapping public.

One handcuffed protester awaiting his transfer to the paddy wagon. There seemed to have been little violence at this demonstration, which has not always been the case in San Francisco. In Oakland a few months prior, a couple of protesters had been shot and seriously wounded by clearly misused "non-lethal" rounds.

A placard showing the mood of the crowd. There were other, similarly unflattering placards of the administration in general, and Bush in particular.

One high-flying radical. I'm unsure whether he's disguised for his own safety, or in sympathy with the Palestinians for their struggle against the Israelis.

Bilingual sign - English and Spanish - saying "The dead are ours, the war is theirs".

Poor shot of one of two racoons that were feeding at the side of the lake as we returned home from the demonstration. We'd never seen racoons anywhere around here before. The closest thing to wildlife in the immediate neighborhood was a single jack-rabbit sighting as we were on our way to our tennis class.